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It’s Not Really SEO That You Hate

April 26, 2013 by

SEO-provides-actionsI had an interesting experience the other day while doing some online research. I ran across a website discussing why writers and content marketers hate SEO. As a writer myself, that was news to me. Hoping it was a lone opinion I did some searching. I discovered pages upon pages of discussions about how SEO forces writers to create bad content and punishes those who write well.

Now, I know I don’t hate SEO, so I asked our Senior Copywriter Nathan Williams, who leads content marketing initiatives for clients in a wide range of industries, for his feelings on the subject. Here’s what he had to say:

“It’s interesting that a copywriter would say they hate SEO, because the two work hand-in-hand, at least in my experience. From the copywriting perspective, SEO is the afterthought. If the SEO tactics are on the level, the copywriter just has to make sure the keywords won’t disrupt the flow or distract from the point.

It’s not fair to say that copywriters hate SEO, because that opinion is painting with a really wide brush. And there’s no need to feel that way. SEO provides actions, targets and priorities, and copywriters use that information to tailor the content. The two sides must work together, or both fail.”

What SEO Copywriting Isn’t

Nathan’s point really emphasizes what separates true SEO from the kind of black hat tactics that give websites a brief bump followed by a long, hard fall. There’s a mindset out there that search is a system to be gamed, and for some reason a terrifyingly large number of people in the SEO biz think that gaming that system is a better choice than working within it.

That’s why you’ll still find sites out there hiring bargain basement copywriters with no real skill or experience, and using spinning software to create meaningless, garbage content. Meanwhile behind-the-scenes they are buying links, hiding keywords in code, and participating in all sorts of unsavory practices meant to trick search engines and serve up content that does not answer the question posed in the search query.

The real irony in this is that they are likely putting more effort into those tactics than we on the white hat, ethical SEO side are by just following the rules and creating quality content.

It’s Not SEO’s Fault

Keyword stuffing and creating nothing content around random terms is not what we signed on for, and the results are not what clients sign on for, either. Any copywriter is going to be unhappy in a system like that.

But what Nathan talked about, and what the rest of us who work on the copywriting side here at SEO Advantage know, is that when your behind the scenes SEO and coding folks are doing their jobs well, all you really have to do is write relevant content with a few placement adjustments here or there. We probably spend less than 10% of our copywriting time thinking about keywords, because if what you are writing truly speaks to the question asked in the search query, the keywords don’t have to be stuffed. They flow organically.

If, as a copywriter, you find yourself at odds with SEO, then the problem likely isn’t with the system itself, but with the way you are being asked to manipulate it.

Filed Under: Copywriting/SEO Content Development, Online Marketing Tagged With: , , ,

Copywriting and White Space – Making Readable Web Content

April 9, 2013 by

If you’re a company trying to build an online presence, you’ve certainly heard how important developing content is. Blog posts, buying guides and keyword landing pages are just a few examples…

Content not only helps you build rankings in the search engines, it also helps you build credibility for your brand and a loyal following. When people see you’re developing engaging, informative content, they’ll remember you as someone who’s willing to listen and take initiative to help customers better understand important points about what you’re offering.

Likewise, search engines will see how youre making strides to provide your audience with engaging, informative content, and reward your site accordingly.

While many strategies and techniques are specific to your business or industry, there are some general ideas you need to keep in mind when writing web copy – one of the most important, yet most overlooked, is white space.

What do you mean by “white space”?

whitespacequote_seoaWhite space can be defined as a break in copy. It has a couple of different purposes.

One, it helps the readers better comprehend what you’re trying to say. They can skim sub-headings, bulleted lists, and other elements designed to help communicate information in a clear and concise way.

The other purpose is to give the eyes a break – how many times have you encountered a page with just long-block paragraphs and immediately clicked the back button in frustration?

In our fast-paced, information-driven world, our senses are literally overloaded with all kinds of messages at all times of the day. We have to discriminate what’s deserving of our attention, and disregard the things our senses and minds tell us are not important.

We do this through scanning…

If your piece – be it a blog post, an article or a landing page – doesn’t provide an adequate break, it will seem dull and intimidating, no matter how well it’s actually written.

What do I need to do to ensure my site’s content has adequate white space?

We don’t want to imply that long paragraphs are bad – if you have a thought that requires a little extra explanation, by all means, take the extra space.

A few ways to boost white space include:

  • Limit paragraphs to 5-7 lines – if you have an extra-long paragraph, consider putting a one-sentence paragraph just below it to either make your final point, or a follow-up point.
  • Include sub-headings – to break up different concepts within your piece, use sub-headings. This allows the reader to scan your piece’s important points without having to read it word for word – your readers will thank you. Including keywords in headings and sub-headings are also beneficial from an SEO perspective.
  • Include a bulleted or numbered list if it makes sense – Another way to add “white-space” and make your piece scannable is by using bulleted or numbered lists. These help draw attention to important points and communicate information quickly. Be careful though – bulleted and numbered lists don’t always fit.

These are general points to consider when drafting content for your website. If you’re writing an e-book or more formal piece of content, you can have longer paragraphs for example. Also, you really won’t have much in the way of sub-headings with a press release (except in the beginning).

The important thing is to remember that you’re writing for real people, not search engine bots. You need to be mindful how you’re content will appear to a new visitor.

Is it easily digestible with a quick scan?

Is it easy on the eyes and not too “in your face” or intimidating?

Keeping these things in mind will help you develop exceptional content for your site. While there are many other things to consider, this is one of the fundamental tenets of writing for the web – and one of the key differences between print and online media.

 

Filed Under: Copywriting/SEO Content Development, Tip of the Day Tagged With: , , , ,

Content Marketing: 5 Predictions for 2013

December 31, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Crystal Ball2012 was quite a year for SEO and content marketing. We saw Google make sweeping algorithm changes that affected a large number of sites. Some sites suffered from these changes, while others thrived.

Since Google shows no signs of slowing down their efforts to keep search engines working and keep content creators honest, we can likely expect quite a few more changes in the coming year. In that vein, check out our top five predictions for content marketing in 2013.

1. Increased emphasis on content expertise

While we can expect to see continued emphasis on, as Google’s Matt Cutts would say, “great content,” we will likely also see a move toward content with authority. Web content creators will be expected to show their credentials more and more.

While this might strike fear in the hearts of those who produce content for a wide variety of clients, what it should do is encourage content marketers to learn more about the products we are marketing so that we can successfully address relevant topics from a place of authority. At SEOA we already utilize a number of writers with field-specific experience and education for our content marketing. For companies that take this approach, 2013 may simply mean making those credentials public and putting faces with the names.

2. More robust content

This one is more of a continuation of a trend. We’ve been ramping up the quality of website copy for years as an industry, in order to keep up with Google’s expectations. In 2013, we’ll produce lengthier guides and more e-books, in an effort to create a one-stop-shop for searchers.

3. Increased emphasis on personality and voice

This one links back to prediction number one. We are learning more and more through the use of social media that customers want to connect with businesses on a personal level, to feel as though they are dealing with real people and not faceless companies.

Content marketers and the businesses we represent will begin to move toward a more personal approach, and content marketing will need to rise to the occasion by building a cohesive voice and personality for each individual client.

4. More mobile content

More and more users every day are accessing the internet primarily through smart phones and other mobile devices. Content marketers and SEOs that do not make the effort to create mobile-friendly content may risk falling by the wayside.

This doesn’t just mean using a mobile subdomain, either. We need to make it easy for users to comment on blogs from any device, and avoid discouraging participation at all costs.

Mobile content also means giving visitors plenty of shorter sounds bytes interspersed with more robust pieces, so that visitors have something they can consume easily while in line or in waiting rooms. Variety and versatility will be the key to attracting and retaining the growing mobile crowd.

5. The fall of repurposed content

One thing we see with every Google update is an increase in the seeming perceptiveness of these algorithms. Repurposed content is becoming easier to detect, and search engines are becoming more adept at identifying the original producer of the content and giving due credit. Some content marketers are going to need to step up their games and start producing truly original copy.

Content marketing in 2013: Time to step up our game . . . yes, again

At SEO Advantage, we’ve seen more SEOs than we’d like complaining about search engine changes instead of being willing to adapt. That attitude is not only counter-productive, but it displays a lack of passion for the internet from some of its most prolific content creators.

The most successful content marketers in 2013 and beyond will be those who have a true love of all things internet, and who spend a significant amount of their personal time participating in online communities or conducting research for personal interest. These are the content creators who possess both intellectual curiosity and a great respect for what a valuable resource the internet provides.

Remember what it was like to want to learn about something before the internet? Having to scour the card catalogs at the library or, in some cases, just go around not knowing what you wanted to know? If you do, then you are a step ahead of content creators who get annoyed when asked to create honest, quality copy. You understand how the internet revolutionized the entirety of society, and you have a vested interest in protecting it.

What do you think about our predictions? Agree? Disagree? Have a prediction of your own?

Filed Under: Copywriting/SEO Content Development, Online Marketing, SEO Advantage Tagged With: , ,

Some Thoughts about Keywords

November 9, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Confused man black and whiteAnyone with a cursory knowledge about search engine optimization and web copywriting understands the importance of keywords. These terms are what searchers in Google, Bing and elsewhere use to locate products, services or answers to their questions.

If you’re working to build your business’ position in the search engines, you’ve likely come across countless articles and blogs touting the importance of having these keywords in your copy, metatags, header tags and elsewhere.

The constant demand to include important key phrases in copy though can, in a way, become a distraction from producing the clearest message possible. Web writers, many of which are inexperienced, can become too focused on including a sufficient number of keywords in copy they’re preparing.

This can of course lead to a situation where the keywords can become “diluted” or even make your copy sound unnatural. If taken to the extreme (a.k.a. “keyword stuffing), it can lead to disastrous penalties.

In the early days of search engine optimization, the name of the game was keywords, completely. Simply insert phrases you’re targeting all over the place – plenty in your copy, and many more in image-alt tags, meta tags, title tags and elsewhere.

As Google’s algorithms became more sophisticated though, they began to cull pages that only provided a bunch of keywords and no real value to readers. From Google’s perspective, people would eventually quit using their search engine if they didn’t find good information.

While many of the keyword techniques we’ve written about (…see below) are indeed valid and should be considered, keywords should in fact take lower priority in many cases, especially when you’re writing content for a blog.

If a page is high up in your site – like a product/service landing page or an alternative homepage – you should be more mindful of the keywords you’re targeting and ensure they’re weaved in your copy and headlines in a “natural” way.

For blog and other site content like knowledge center articles, you can be a little more relaxed about keywords.

First of all, there are literally thousands of “long-tail” keywords (…phrases that are 4+ words) people may use to search for information related to your industry. Take a look at this Google search for “filming an interview” and see who’s #1. When we wrote this post, it was never our intention to rank high for this term.

Rather, we wrote it to provide insight into how a site owner/business/content developer can film a good interview to put on their website. The keyword “filming an interview” was more an afterthought.

So what’s the moral of all of this?

Focus first on providing content that’s clear and offers value!!

Unless you’re writing the page specifically for the purpose of targeting certain phrase(s) (…like a product/service landing page), it’s okay to not focus so much on keywords.

That’s not to say keywords are not important, they are. Developing blog and other knowledge-based content though is a long-term project, one where results will come gradually. As search engines place higher importance on the value your content is offering, the number of keywords you have in your content will not be weighted as much.

Related Posts

Understanding the Intent of Search Queries – EMI vs. EMQ

Latent Semantic Indexing – A New Way to Look at Copy

11 Steps to Increasing Keyword Saturation while Maintaining Valuable Content

Penguin Update Targets Link Schemes and Low-Quality Content

Filed Under: Copywriting/SEO Content Development, Tip of the Day Tagged With: , , , ,

Keywords and Brevity: an SEO Copywriting Exercise

July 30, 2012 by Leave a Comment

We’ve talked here before about how Google’s updates – most recently Penguin – have raised the stakes on content quality in the copywriting world.  Between new algorithms and the use of human evaluators, the folks over at Google have made it far more difficult for thin or irrelevant content to gain dominance in search results.

The greatest benefit: it’s much easier for useful, quality copywriting to rise to the top.

Copywriting that hits all of the right keyword notes while maintaining readability requires a delicate balance, but with some adjustments to your writing, you can keep your readers engaged and your sites at the top of the search results.

Eliminate wordiness from your SEO copywriting with a simple writing exercise

Wordiness is the enemy of keywords. Clean, tight copywriting makes the keywords the star, while thin, wordy content buries them behind a minimum word count. Having enough content to support a page and satisfy Google is important, but you should add more words by adding more information, not using unnecessarily long phrasings.

If your SEO copywriting suffers from wordiness syndrome, try this exercise:

  1. Choose a topic you know well and can write about easily, then write at least 500 words on it.
  2. Take your metaphorical red pen and start slashing it – without losing any facts or content. The goal is to take your 500 word article down to 350 or fewer words. Good SEO copywriting eliminates needlessly long phrasing like “such as” or “and so on.” If you still need to cut it down, try rearranging some sentences so that they use basic subject-verb-object construction. Don’t lose any keywords in the process.
  3. Now beef it back up with more information. Go to at least 600 words this time.
  4. Slash it back down to around 500 words.

You can repeat this copywriting process as many times as you need until you have eliminated all of the extraneous wording. It’s a simple exercise that will clean up your copy and allow your keywords and content room to shine.

Other Posts You May Be Interested In

Copywriting on Tight Deadlines – Telling your Story Part I

Copywriting on Tight Deadlines, Telling your Story Part II

Hooking your Reader – 7 Tips for Great Headlines

11 Steps to Increasing Keyword Saturation while Maintaining Valuable Content

Filed Under: Copywriting/SEO Content Development, Tip of the Day Tagged With: , , , ,
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